Latest ONS figures also suggest lower population growth in coming decades than previously expected
Deaths are projected to outnumber births in the UK every year from 2026 and the population is expected to grow at a slower rate over the next few decades than previously reported, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
About 1.7 million people are projected to join the population between 2024 and 2034, pushing the total up 2.5% from 69.3 million to 71 million, before it starts to decrease in the mid-2050s.
This is smaller than the increase included in ONS figures published last year, which projected a rise of 3 million over the same period and the population jumping 4.3% to a total of 72.2 million by 2034.
The projections have been revised downwards to reflect the recent sharp fall in net migration, as well as lower fertility rates in the future.
